After all, it was a war between two nations. Though Guan Xiaorou said nothing about it, she was extremely worried in her heart.
Jin Feng still had no heirs. Perhaps fearing that he might really leave no descendants, the usually shy and traditional Guan Xiaorou changed completely that night. Using the methods Tang Xiaobei had taught her, she kept Jin Feng busy for most of the night.
The next morning, Guan Xiaorou rose early again to help Jin Feng dress.
“Master of the house, if you will not let me go, at least take Runnian. She can cook for you and wash your clothes.”
“What nonsense is this? How can we bring a female dependant to a military camp?”
“In the past there were none, but now there are many female soldiers in the army. Where is all this formality?”
Guan Xiaorou said, “With neither Xiaobei nor me there, and the weather turning cold, you will have no one around to look after your needs.”
“Female soldiers are different from female dependants. If fighting really breaks out, female soldiers have to take the field and fight the enemy blade to blade, just like the men.”
Jin Feng stood up and ruffled Guan Xiaorou’s hair. “Do not worry. I am a grown man. I can certainly take care of myself.”
He kissed her forehead, turned, and opened the door.
Runnian, Xiao’e, and Tang Dongdong were all waiting in the courtyard.
The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive. Even the usually lively Xiao’e kept her head down and said nothing.
“What is all this? I am only going to war, not to my death. Why are you all looking so dejected?”
Jin Feng joked with a smile. “I hear Tubo yak meat is good. If we capture any, I will bring some back for you to try.”
“Brother-in-law, I do not want yak meat. I just want you to come back safely.”
Xiao’e tugged at Jin Feng’s sleeve, her mouth pouting.
“So you do know how to care for me. I have not raised an ungrateful wolf after all.”
Jin Feng smiled and scraped her nose lightly. “While I am away, listen to your sister properly. No more skipping lessons or running off to play wildly. Understand?”
“I understand.” Xiao’e nodded obediently.
“Brother Feng, this is the dried meat I made. It has been steamed. If you get hungry on the road, eat a few pieces to tide you over.”
Runnian took a bag from the table by the kitchen door and handed it to Jin Feng.
Inside were glossy pieces of meat, each cut along the grain into the size of broad beans.
“That is thoughtful of you.” Jin Feng smiled as he took the bag and weighed it in his hand.
“Brother Feng, the battlefield is dangerous. You are a scholar. Leave the fighting to Brother Liang and the others. Do not charge forward yourself.”
Tang Dongdong also spoke with red eyes.
“Do not worry. I have not lived enough yet.”
Jin Feng said with a smile. “Dongdong, Xiaorou is soft-hearted. With Xiaobei and me both away, the household is in your hands. Pay close attention.”
“Do not worry. I know what to do.”
“Alright then, I am off.”
Hearing hoofbeats at the gate, Jin Feng waved and walked out of the courtyard.
Outside, Da Liu was arriving with the personal guard team.
Jin Feng turned back to wave once more to Guan Xiaorou and the others, then mounted his horse.
In the back mountain camp, the thousand escort masters were also fully equipped and ready to depart.
To make haste, no labourers had been hired this time. All baggage was carried by the escort masters themselves.
The Ninth Princess, Qing Mulian, and the others had arrived early.
Seeing Jin Feng approach, the Ninth Princess stepped forward to greet him, then asked, “Gentleman, are you sure you want to take the water route first?”
Previous trips to Chengdu had always followed the Jinniu Ancient Path.
The Jinniu Ancient Path started south from Chengdu, passing through Guanghan and Deyang, exiting Sichuan at Guangyuan and entering the Qinling Mountains.
After crossing the Qinling, one reached the eight hundred li of the Qin Plain.
The Jinniu Ancient Path was an important channel for exchange between Shaan and Sichuan in ancient times.
The Ninth Princess had taken it both on her way to Chengdu last time and back to Xihe Bay this time.
“The Shu roads are difficult. An army with baggage, even marching urgently the whole way and with everything going smoothly, would take over twenty days to reach Xichuan if using the Jinniu Ancient Path. Half that time would be spent on mountain roads.”
Jin Feng said, “By water, we can drift downstream and reach Nanchong in three days. Then disembark at Nanchong and head west to Chengdu. The terrain is relatively flat, the official roads wide. We can arrive several days earlier at least.”
“That works too. Travelling by water will let everyone rest and gather strength on the boats.”
The Ninth Princess nodded in agreement.
In fact, the route she had planned in the capital also involved transferring at Nanchong.
Only later, after her passenger ship was sunk by river bandits, had she developed some psychological shadow about boats.
Now, with the urgency of the situation, she had no time to be afraid.
Once everyone was assembled, the column soon set off.
Xihe Bay now had frequent traffic to the ferry crossing. Jin Feng had sent people to repair the mountain path, making it much easier. That evening, the column reached the crossing on schedule.
“Brother-in-law, the boats are all ready. Seven large vessels in total. Plenty for your thousand-plus people.”
Guan Zhuzi led Jin Feng, the Ninth Princess, and the others to the riverbank.
Five large boats were moored side by side on the river near the crossing.
“Are these boats purchased or rented?” Jin Feng asked. “How is their condition?”
Jin Feng had not yet built a shipyard. The cargo boats currently in use were partly bought from other yards and partly leased.
“Four are purchased, the remaining three rented. All have been inspected. No problems.”
Guan Zhuzi replied, “To guard against river bandits, I have arranged several small boats to scout ahead and behind. Heavy crossbows have also been temporarily installed on the large boats.”
“You have worked hard.” Jin Feng nodded and patted Guan Zhuzi’s shoulder.
Guan Zhuzi had changed a lot these past months. Now he could think ahead when handling matters.
“No hardship, no hardship!”
Guan Zhuzi shook his head honestly. “Brother-in-law, Your Highness, that passenger boat is prepared for you. Would you like to go aboard and see?”
“No need. It is already dark. We will look tomorrow.”
Jin Feng shook his head. “Brother, arrange for the baggage and such to be loaded tonight. Do not delay our morning departure.”
“Right away. The boatmen are all ready.”
That night, the boatmen worked through the hours to load the baggage onto the vessels.
Early the next morning, everyone boarded and drifted downstream.
Once bitten by a snake, one fears ropes for ten years. From the moment she boarded, the Ninth Princess worried about encountering river bandits again. She kept Qin’er, Qin Ming, and others on deck watch.
She herself occasionally glanced out the window at the river.
“Wuyang, I asked the boatmen. Now the Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce often travels the water route to Jiangnan. The river bandits along the way have all been terrified by the Zhenyuan Escort Agency’s masters. When they see the Zhenyuan flag, they dare not show themselves.”
Qing Mulian noticed the Ninth Princess’s tension and comforted her. “Even if there were bandits, there is no need to worry. Our large boats are in the middle, protected by patrol boats fore and aft. No bandits would dare raid us.”
“I am just a little anxious. It is fine.”
The Ninth Princess tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Shall we go listen to the gentleman’s lecture?”
Previously, Zhang Liang had been busy with escort agency matters. Occasionally, when he caught Jin Feng explaining military strategy to Qing Mulian, he would listen for a while.
Now Jin Feng intended to cultivate Zhang Liang. With nothing to do on the boat, he called Zhang Liang to the cabin to discuss military arts.
In truth, Jin Feng was not skilled in military matters, but he had studied from the shoulders of giants.
In his previous life, China’s five thousand years of history was a history of wars. There were too many classic battle cases.
Back in school, what else did the boys in the dormitory discuss besides girls? History and military affairs, of course.
He might lose to Zhang Liang in actual combat, but explaining basic battlefield common sense to this man who had only started literacy classes last year and was half-illiterate was no problem.
Later, the Ninth Princess found it interesting and joined in.
Three days passed quickly. The fleet reached Nanchong without incident.
